1) Telangana launches single-woman pension scheme, first in India
•Telangana government has recently launched the single-women pensions scheme across the state. Single women will be given Rs 1,000 per month. It is the first such scheme in India.
•The government had also increased the Kalyana Laxmi and Shaadi Mubarak scheme amount from Rs50,116 to Rs75,116. Children of single women would be admitted into all Telangana Residential Educational Institutions without having to write an examination or waiting for the lottery system. The beneficiaries would get the pension in their bank accounts every month.
2) 'Ministry of Utmost Happiness' authored by Arundhati Roy launched
•The book “The Ministry of Utmost Happiness” has been authored by Arundhati Roy, was release recently. It is fiction-based novel and will be published by Hamish Hamilton UK and Penguin India.
•Booker prize-winning novel ‘The God of Small Things’ after 20 years, Arundhati Roy has announced the release of her next novel titled “The Ministry of Utmost Happiness”.
3) India overtakes China to top global retail index: GRDI
•India has surpassed China to secure the top position among 30 developing countries on ease of doing business, according to a study that cited India’s rapidly expanding economy, relaxation of FDI rules and a consumption boom as the key drivers. The GRDI was titled as ‘The Age of Focus’, ranks China in second place. Malaysia was in the third position in the list.
•The 16th edition of the 2017 Global Retail Development Index (GRDI), ranks the top 30 developing countries for retail investment worldwide and analyzed 25 macroeconomic and retail-specific variables. India’s rapidly expanding economy, easing of foreign direct investment (FDI) rules and a consumption boom are the key drivers for India’s top ranking in the GRDI.
4) NSE launches international exchange at GIFT city
•Leading bourse National Stock Exchange (NSE) launched its international exchange in the Gujarat International Finance Tec-City (GIFT City). NSE IFSC Ltd, the global exchange promoted by NSE, will remain operational for a longer period than NSE during a trading day.
•All the trades will be cleared and settled through NSE IFSC Clearing Corporations Ltd. Several products from the currency, commodity and equity segments are expected to get listed on the new exchange which may also introduce other innovative products in line with Sebi regulations.
•Markets regulator Sebi has recently issued norms allowing international exchanges to operate up to 23 hours in GIFT and settle trades at least twice a day. NSE's rival BSE has already operationalised its global exchange India International Exchange (INX) at international financial services centre (IFSC).
5) India’s first public bicycle sharing project launched in Mysuru
•Chief Minister of Karnataka Siddaramaiah has recently launched India’s first public bicycle sharing (PBS) initiative 'Trin Trin' in Mysuru. A short video detailing various aspects of Trin Trin and a mobile app were also released on the occasion. The World Bank, Global Environmental Fund, and state govt have jointly funded the initiative.
•Mysuru is the first city in India to have a public bicycle sharing system. A total of 450 bicycles can be borrowed from 48 docking stations set up across the City for a nominal fee. The users, however, have to be registered as members by paying Rs 350 that also includes a refundable deposit and obtain a smart card by swiping which they can take out a bicycle from the docking station.
6) NSDC signs MoU with Bird Academy for skilling of unemployed youth
•National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC) and Bird Academy have signed an MoU to skill more than 30 thousand unemployed youth from across states in the aviation and aerospace sectors.
•According to an official release, NSDC and Bird Academy will set up training centres and centres of excellence with an aim of increasing employability of youth in these sectors. The centres will be set up in Chandigarh, Delhi, Cochin, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Goa and other locations.
